Forever
by blackbirdxsinging
Summary: THE RUNDOWN [welcome to the jungle] continuation from the movie. starring Travis, Beck, and Mariana. Travis has to learn to take care of himself, but he cant move on remembering what happened in the past. .
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone. My first RUNDOWN fic. EVER! I am madly in love with travis. Hehhehe…**

**Yeeeah. Anyways. On with the show, right?**

-----------------------------------

Beck

Travis woke up.

"About time." I muttered.

"What."

"You've been asleep for three hours."

"So?"

I glared at him. "Its three in the afternoon."

"So?" He asked again.

"Grow up."

Travis pulled his shirt over his eyes. "Go away. I'm sleeping."

"Not anymore." I said assertively. "We have a guest."

"A guest?" He repeated, pulling his shirt down a little. "Who?"

"Mariana." I raised my eye brows suggestively.

"Mariana." He echoed. "Wow. She came from Brazil to see _me?_"

"Mm." I responded shortly. "And to bring you that big fortune."

"Big fortune?"

"Yeah."

"You mean my…"

"Your gatu." A grin spread upon his face. I smiled back.

"She didn't sell it?" He beamed.

"Uh… Travis… hate to tell you, but she did." His face fell. "She's bringing you the _money._"

He looked down. "It isn't about money, Beck. It was about…"

"The fame." I finished. "You wanted to be known. Everyone does. I know."

He pulled the shirt down completely. "But… _I_ found it, Beck. _I_ did."

I nodded. "I know, Travis." He looked at his shoes. "No one can take that away from you." I added.

The doorbell rang. "Is that her?" He asked, his face now lit up.

I shrugged. "Probably."

He stood up. "I'll get it." He ran to the door.

I sat on his bed.

"Mariana!" I heard him exclaim from the other room.

"Travis!"

I stood up and walked into the room.

"Mr Beck." She said quietly. She kissed my cheek. She walked over to Travis and kissed him on the shoulder. His eyes widened, and then he fixed himself.

"Mariana, you look beautiful." Travis whispered, smilling.

"Thankyou, Travis. You look good yourself."

Travis

"Thankyou Travis. You look good yourself." I smiled even broader.

"You want a drink, or something?"

"Yes, I would like that." A seductive smile came across her face. I smiled back.

"I'll get it." I hurried into the kitchen. Beck followed.

"Travis, what do you think you're doing?" Beck asked as I opened the fridge.

"Getting the girl a drink."

"Don't you go messing around with her."

I smirked. "Whatever."

He grabbed my arm. "I'm serious. She's been through a lot. Don't mess up her life."

I rolled my eyes. His grip tightened. "Don't."

"Fine." He let go and I gave Mariana her drink.

She took a long drink of the bottle. Me and Beck looked at eachother, then Mariana, then eachother…

"Travis?" Mariana interrupted. "Could I talk to you… alone, for a moment?"

I grinned trimpfantly at Beck.

"Anything."

She walked over towards my room. "I'll be in here." She whispered, walking in.

I ran over to Beck. "Ruin her life?? I'm gonna make it _awesome!_" I ran towards my room.

"Travis!" He called. I turned around.

"What?" I asked, annoyed.

"Be careful."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever!" I yelled again, running into my room.

--------

Beck

Annoyed, I sat down. Travis had shut the door. I decided that because it was my house, I could listen in, so I pressed my ear against the door and listened.

"Travis, I have your money here." I head Mariana say. "13.2 million."

"That's cool." He said back, obviously thinking about something else.

"But that wasn't the real reason I came here."

There was a pause. I tried to hear something that Travis said, but I couldn't make it out.

"I love you, Travis." She said finally. "I came here to be with you."

"I love you too." I almost smirked. I felt like yelling 'youre twenty three years old! You don't know what love is!' but I didn't.

They didn't say anything else. I heard the bottle hit the end table, and Travis's lips mashing against Mariana's.

I rolled my eyes and stood up. I stretched my arms.

I looked at the clock. 3:25.

I stepped into my shoes. "Travis!" I called. "Lets go!"

I heard him pull away awkwardly.

"What do you want, Beck?"

I smiled to myself. "We got work!"

Travis said something quietly to Mariana that made her giggle. Then the door opened and Travis walked out, pulling on his shirt.

I raised my eye brows. "I thought I told you…"

"Relax!" Travis smiled. "We didn't get past second base."

My eyes widened. "Travis!" I hissed.

"Calm down, big boy, I'm kidding." He pulled on his own shoes.

"Why do you care so much?" He added. "I mean, its not like she's into _you._"

I roll my eyes. "She is a friend, and I don't want her getting stuck with a dumbass like you."

"Ouch!" Travis mocked, holding his heart. "That hurt!"

"You got a little something on your lips." I smiled.

Travis wiped them on his hand. "Aw, shit… lipstick?" He walked to the bathroom. "Wait two seconds, Beck. I swear. I'll be on time. Wait in the truck."

"Fine." I said annoyed. "Just don't be late like last time.

That cause Travis to laugh. "You ended up having to order pizza for your customers."

"Because you made me an hour late!" I defended myself. "Come _on_ Travis!"


	2. Chapter 2

Travis

I carried the food…whatever it was… to the first table. I set it gently on the table, silently.

"Excuse me sir? Could I get a spoon?"

I looked at the food. It was some sort of bagely stuff.

"You need a spoon to eat a bagel?"

"_Please._" He repeated, annoyed. "Get me a spoon, please."

I shrugged. "Whatever, man."

I walked into the kitchen. "A guy needs a spoon for a bagel." I told Beck, who was working the oven.

"Then get one!" He snapped back. I held up my hands innocently.

"Woah, big guy, just trying to get you to smile."

"You're gonna have to work harder then that." He mumbled back.

"Travis?"

I turned. "Mariana." I whispered. I walked up to her and pecked her on the lips. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help."

"With what?" I asked, looking around. "The _restaurant?_"

"Mister Beck." She interrupted, walking over to him. "What can I do to help?" She asked. I found myself looking at her behind.

Beck shot me a look. I rolled my eyes in return and then returned them to where they belonged.

"Uh…" Beck said. "Sure. Just… you want to hand out some menus?"

"Anything, Mr Beck." She turned and caught me staring. She touched my shoulder when she walked past. "Save it for later, Travis." She whispered in my ear. My eyes widened. Beck stared at me, worried.

"What?" I asked.

He kept looking at me like that.

"Its not like… I'm not going to… not _now,_ anyways. Maybe tonight."

He widened his eyes even wider. "Travis…"

"I don't get why you're so concerned, big boy!"

"Beck."

"Whatever! My relationship with Mariana has nothing to do with you. So get your head out of my business!"

He returned his face to normal. "I was just looking out for you, Travis."

I smirked. "Whatever."

"You need a new vocabulary."

"You need a life."

He looked up from the stove.

I held up my hands again. "Woah, big b—I mean Beck. I'm joking around."

"If something happens, and she ends up hurt…"

"I'm not gonna hurt her." I said honestly. "Honestly. Why would I try to hurt something like that?" I turned my head to catch a glimpse of her, but Beck spoke again.

"What about that other girl?"

I looked at him with cold eyes. I felt my cheeks burning in anger. "Don't bring her up." I said under my breath.

"She was _married,_ and you…"

"I said don't bring her up!!" I boomed. Remembering her was the last thing that I wanted to do.

But Beck brought it up. And now it was coming back to me.

"_Elizabeth." I whisper on her skin. "Elizabeth, you're so beautiful." She laughs softly and kisses me in turn. I quickly lift my shirt. "Travis." She whispers. I let her trace her fingers around the details of my stomach. I kiss her lips passionately and lift her shirt. "Mm" she groans softly. "Travis…" _

"Sorry Travis."

I look away from the ground. I grab the spoon and take it to the man. I ignore his _thankyou_ and every other person who calls 'waiter' or 'Travis'. I walk into the kitchen, but I don't do anything.

"Travis?" Beck calls. "Travis!"

I hold my head. I cant stop thinking of Elizabeth.

"_Are you sure we should be doing this?"_

"Travis! Move!" Beck yells. But I'm somewhere else. "Theres orders to make!"

I shut my eyes tightly. I cant breathe. I run into the bathroom.

Beck

I feel guilty for bringing it up. I forgot. That's his weak spot.

All I really wanted was for him to take the bloody spoon to the table.

After taking a few meals to the tables I decide that I should go see what he's doing. After all, he did seem pretty upset.

Travis

"Travis?" I hear Beck call from the bathroom. "Travis, are you in here?"

I hold my head. I don't want to see him.

"Go away!" I yell. My eyes are wet and my voice shakes. Oh, God. I cant be crying.

"Travis, I'm sorry."

"I said go away!" I yell again, but Beck has already opened the door to my stall.

"Travis, if you want to talk…"

"I don't want to talk." _I just want you to go away._

"Are you sure, because if you…"

"I said go away!" I scream, kicking my feet.

Unfortunately, I miss him completely.

"Travis, do you want the night off?"

I shake my head. "No. Sorry. I'll get to work."

"Travis, I think that you should take the night off."

"No." I stand up. "I'm fine." I whisper in his ear.

I walk towards the door but my hand stops. I cant reach the door. I'm paralyzed.

"_Travis, I'm pregnant."_

"Travis?" Beck yells. But his voice is distant. "Travis!!"

I close my eyes.

"_I cant see you anymore._"

"Elizabeth." I whisper aloud, and then collapse on the bathroom floor.


	3. Chapter 3

Beck

"Travis?" I said softly. "Travis, are you awake?"

He groaned and opened his eyes.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital."

He groaned even louder. "The hospital??" He repeated louder. "Why am I in the hospital??"

"You fell down, Travis." Mariana spoke for me. I wished she hadn't.

Travis's attitude lifted. "Mariana." He whispered. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

He smiled. "I'm fine, Mariana." He whispered.

I rolled my eyes. Young love.

"Travis, I'm going to call the nurse to let her know youre awake, alright?"

"Mm." He responds. He was obviously focusing on something else.

"Travis?" I ask again. He looks up, annoyed.

"What?"

I nod my head briefly. I hoped that he knew what it meant.

"Whatever, Beck."

I walk over into the hallway. His nurse walks up to me.

She has short blonde hair. She wears no makeup. Her hair was tied loosely behind her shoulders, however her long bangs swept in front of her brown edged glasses.

"Oh, Mr. Beck." Her words are sugar coated. "How is Travis doing?" She asks. "Is he awake?"

"Yeah, uh, he just woke up a few minutes ago."

"Oh, great." She smiles. "Is he… unattended?"

"No, uh, Mariana's in there."

"Is she family?"

"No… she's uh… she's his girlfriend."

She smiles again and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll go check up on him. Thank you, Mr. Beck."

She walks past me. Her running shoes echoe in the empty hall. She turns into Travis's room. I quickly follow.

Travis

Holy shit.

Look at that nurse.

If only nurses wore the short dresses they always do at the bars.

She was gorgeous. Even more beautiful then Mariana.

"Travis." She says. "Are you feeling okay?"

I smile. "I'm fine."

"Good." She smiles back. "I just need to look at some of these." She looks at some machines making BLEEP noises.

God, were all these tubes attached to me before? I don't remember any being put on. I mean, there's one on my arm, my nose, my leg…

Jesus Christ.

There's no way someone actually put one on my…

"Excuse me, miss?" I ask the gorgeous nurse checking out the machines.

"Yes Travis?" She responds. I almost shudder in pure pleasure at the sound of her saying my name.

"Is this… tube on my… you know… really necessary?"

She laughs softly. "You were unconscious, sugar. If you decided to…"

"Pee?" I finished. "I have this thing on so I don't pee my pants?"

She laughed. "I'm afraid so, Travis."

I feel my cheeks flash red. How embarrassing.

I look around the room. Mariana and Beck are arguing outside about something.

"Did you…" I say in a quiet voice. "Did you uh… put this on me?" I smile.

She rolls her eyes playfully. "Travis, I'm afraid that my partner, Chris got you ready for all of this. I'm just supposed to keep an eye on you."

"Oh… Christina? Is that her name?"

She laughs. "No, Christopher. He's a guy."

I almost gag. "Oh." I squeak.

"Don't worry about it Travis, you're conscious now, so it can be taken off now."

My eyes widen. I smile and raise my eye brows. "Are uh… you going to… uh… you know… take it off?"

She laughed again. "Travis, you are so cute!" I smiled even wider.

After a while, I ask again. "Are you?"

She looks at me and starts laughing again. "Travis… oh no, Travis, _you_ can take it off by yourself! It's a lot easier taking it off then putting it on."

I knit my eyebrows. "But uh… I really don't know how so if you could just…"

She rolls her eyes playfully and walks over to the end of my bed. She rips off the sheet.

"Could you pull your gown up please?" She asks professionsally.

She turns while I hike it up. I hear rubber stretching.

"What are you uh… doing there…"

She turns with rubber gloves on her hands.

"This is going to be quick and painless, okay?"

I fix my eyes. "Uh… alright…"

She bends over slightly and 'examines' (so she liked to call it) my… area. She looks amused.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing." She says quickly, and smiles.

Beck

"Mariana, I just want you to be careful."

"Mr. Beck." She said angrily. "I _am_ careful, and I don't believe that this is _any_ of your business!"

"It _is _my business. You saw what happened to Travis yesterday. Do you know why that happened?"

She closes her eyes. "Mr Beck. I know what happened to Travis and Elizabeth. He told me a long time ago. And yes, he dosent like it being brought up. He felt sick. That's the only reason he's here. He hasn't been in that state of mind in a long time."

"But… Mariana… Don't you see how irresponsible he is? There is a girl out there… with _his_ child, with no one. She ended up with no one after Travis. I really care about you two, you guys are my best friends. I couldn't watch Travis ruin your life."

"Mister Beck, with all due respect, I believe that you know nothing about Travis, or me. We love eachother. We trust eachother. We're more mature, now."

"He's twenty three years old with the mind of a thirteen year old!" I hissed. "He is _not_ mature, and he does _not_ know what love is!"

"But I do, Mister Beck. And I will take care of him."

I put my hands on my hips. "Are you sure you can handle him?"

"I'm sure."

"I trust you, Mariana." I didn't mean it. How could I?

"Thankyou, Mister Beck." She leaned in closer to me. "I love Travis, with all my heart. And believe me, I wont let anything happen to him. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried about him, I'm worried about y-"

"Shh." She turned and walked into the hospital room.

And screamed.

Travis

Mariana came in here and screamed. I looked up with wide eyes. The nurse even turned her head.

"Travis!! What are you doing???"

The nurse quickly pulls away with the tube.

"She was just… she was… she was…"

"I was removing the…" She giggled a little. She says something long and professional. I pull my gown down quickly.

"_What?_"

"It was something that made sure I didn't…"

"Pee his pants." The nurse finished. I blushed.

I swallowed. "Mariana, sorry." I whispered.

She looked at me and shook her head. "Call me when you're out of the hospital, Travis."

"Mariana…" She looked at me once and turned. "I love you!" I called. She said nothing back.


	4. Chapter 4

Beck

Travis returned back home the next day.

He didn't speak to me.

He didn't even go near me.

He stayed up in his room most of the time, or looking out on the balcony. Mariana was in her guestroom all morning, and refused to be seen or talked to by any of us.

What have I done to them.

I have made them a complete mess.

I walked up the stairs and across the hall to Travis's room.

"Don't come in here!" Travis yelled. "I'm serious!"

I closed my eyes and pushed open the door.

"Travis…"

"I said don't come in here. Did you not get it the first time? I'm working!" I looked in his room. He was sitting at his desk, looking over some papers.

"Whats that?" I asked.

"None of your business."

I stood in the doorway. "I know that you want to tell me, Travis."

He paused. "Okay." He whispered. "But keep it quiet."

I walked in and looked over his shoulder.

"De Silvia Acoute." I read aloud.

"Shh!" Travis hushed. "And its pronounced _Ah coot ay._"

"What is it?" I asked, ignoring his corrections.

"Its…"

"A trinket, right? Like A gatu de diabo?"

"Not a _trinket,_ Beck. A gatu de diabo was not a trinket. It bought my people freedom. _Trinkets…_ don't bring people freedom. Treasures do."

"So another treasure?"

"Mhmm." Travis took a sip of a coffee cup sitting next to the papers on his table. "And I'm gonna find this one. And I'm not gonna screw up like last time."

"Not any time soon." I said a little loud. "You still have things to do here. In America."

Travis smirked. "De Silvia Acoute is not in Brazil."

"It isn't?" I asked.

"No!" He laughed again. "If every hidden piece to this puzzle was in Brazil, they'd all be found already. No, these are hidden all over the world. A gatu de diabo was the first one to be found. And I'm going to find all the other ones, too."

"No you aren't." I said.

"Yes I am!" He debated. "I have the money now, I'm smart enough."

"You may be smart Travis." I admitted. "But you have no common sense. And you need that to survive."

"I have common sense." He smirked. "I got loads of that." He took another sip of coffee.

"Sure you do." I thought about him and… Elizabeth? Is that who Mariana was talking about?

"I know what you're thinking." He whispered.

I stayed silent.

"You need to stop trying to go there, alright? You saw what it did to me. Just remembering her. I never want to remember that mistake… that big, big mistake… but Beck…" He laughed. "You just cant help yourself from torturing me, can you?"

I shook my head. "Travis, I'm sorry.."

"You aren't." Travis stated simply. "So stop feeding me this bullshit, okay? I'm not a child, I can handle the truth."

I looked at the floor. The truth was, I _was_ sorry.

"Travis, you _know_ I meant that."

He shrugged. "Maybe. I just don't believe it." He took a long sip of the coffe and set the glass gently on a coaster. He returned to his papers.

"Could you tell Mariana that the nurse wasn't giving me a handjob?"

I choked on air. "_What?_ Why would she think that?"

"Just… tell her, alright?"

"I cant tell her that, Travis."

"Well, she wont talk to me! She's mad. _Real_ mad. She thinks I have a fling with that nurse."

I cleared my throat. "Honestly, Travis, I don't think you have a chance with her."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh yeah? She tried to give me her number. She said 'We should do this another time'. After taking that tube off my.."

"I get it, I get it."

"I told you she has a thing for me. Didn't I say that?"

I thought for a second. "Uh, no, Travis, you didn't say that."

He looked at the ground. "Are you sure? I thought… I did _so_ say that." I debated. "I remember. You laughed at me and told me I was stupid…"

"I wouldn't call you stupid." I added quietly.

He looked at me suddenly. "I know." He whispered. "But I… I…"

"Do you think that you were… dreaming?"

"I remember it so well…"

"Travis?" I wave my hand in front of his eyes. They aren't moving from the ground. "Travis!"

His breathing starts picking up.

"Travis! Can you hear me??" But he's already gone.

Travis

_I remember him laughing at me. After beating me to a bloody pulp, he just laughed._

"_You're stupid, Travis Walker. You're fucking stupid. You're a moron!"_

_I remember blood falling from my hair and into my eyes. I couldn't remember where I was. _

_Wait… Elizabeth. She was crying._

"_Leave him alone, Joseph!" She cried. "Just leave him alone!"_

"_You're lucky I don't shoot him dead!"_

_Oh yeah. I was in Elizabeths room. And that guy… Her husband… found us. Being together._

"_Oh, Travis, for the love of God, don't leave me. Stay here!!" She screamed._

_I breathed loudly. Blood came from a cut in my mouth all over the floor. "Elizabeth…I'll never leave you." I could feel the anger in Joseph's foot as it raised in the air and came rushing towards my head… this was the end…_

_I could see black pouring in like blood in my vision. My entire body ached. And then like that, it was over. I was knocked out, sprawled on Elizabeth's floor… Was she still crying?_

Beck

Travis's eyes rolled to the back of his head. I took a sharp breath.

"Travis, if this is a joke…"

But the awkwardness of his breath and eye movement told me otherwise.

"Great God." I whispered.

He collapsed backwards. I caught him and picked him up.

"Travis!" I yelled. "Travis!!"

Nothing.

I felt nervousness wash over me. What if he couldn't breathe?

I placed him on the bed and listened for a pulse.

It was there, but it was weak.

"Travis, stay here."

He sat there breathing like a maniac for a couple more moments. I sat looking at him nervously. I didn't know what was going on.

"I'll never leave you, Elizabeth." He whispered, and then his breathing slowed to normal. His pulse strengthened up again, but his eyes remained closed.

"Travis?" I whispered. "Are you…are you alright, Travis?"

His face was twisted. He was hurt.

Not the kind of hurt from being beaten up so long you can feel your heart beating out of your fingers. No. The kind of hurt that happens when someone rips your heart out with their bare hands and drops it. And then tries to put it back, but it dosent fit anymore. That kind of hurt.

"I truly am sorry, Travis." I whispered.

I picked up his coffee cup and walked into the kitchen.

"What is wrong with Travis?" Mariana demanded as soon as I stepped in.

"He had a… a panic… stress attack."

She looked worried. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine. He's just… sleeping."

"Oh." She whispered. "Mr Beck, you might find this a difficult question to answer but…"

I placed the cup in the sink.

"Is Travis having an affair?"

I look at her. "No." I almost whisper.

"Really? I thought that the nurse was touching his…"

"It was for the tests. Medical stuff."

"Oh." She said again. "Thankyou, Mr Beck."

She sat down in one of the chairs. "I don't know what I would do without you."


	5. Chapter 5

Travis

"_It's okay Elizabeth. Everything is going to be okay. Just run away with me. Run to Brazil. We can raise it there…"_

"_No, Travis."_

"_B-but Elizabeth…"_

"_Hatcher is running that place by slavery, Travis! I know it already!"_

"_But my gatu de dia—"_

"_I'm sorry, Travis, I cant take that chance with my baby."_

"_It's my baby too." Tears filled my eyes. "Please, Elizabeth."_

_She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Travis."_

"_Elizabeth…"_

"_I'll tell him about you, I promise. I'll tell him all about you."_

_I just shook my head. "Don't leave me, Elizabeth. I never leaved you."_

"_I know, Travis. You kept your word. But I'm afraid I just don't have the courage to keep mine." Her words ended in a high pitch tone. "I'm sorry, Travis." _

_And then she turned from me, and she walked the other way… leaving me standing there with nothing._

I woke up. I was lying on my bed.

"What the—"

"You had a stress attack, Travis." Mariana said softly. "Beck brought you from your chair and onto your bed."

"Mariana!" I said a little loud. "You cant be in here!!"

"Why not?" She asked confused. I looked over at my desk. My papers and maps were gone.

"Where's my de silvia acoute?"

"Your _what?_"

"I put those away, Travis." Beck said quickly. I looked up confused, and then calmed down. Mariana had not seen the papers.

"What is de silvia acoute?" Mariana asked.

I laughed, trying to cover up my mistake. "Oh… ha… uhm…"

"Its his journal." Beck smiled. He was enjoying this. "His little diary."

My eyes widened with anger. Why would he say something like that?? Like _I_ would have a diary. A journal, I did have, but a _diary? _I don't think so.

"Oh." A smile crept up on Mariana's face. "I see."

"Beck, do you think me and Mariana could be… alone?"

He nodded and walked outside.

"Mariana, the nurse thing…"

"I know, Travis, Beck told me." 'its always beck, beck, beck.' I thought.

"Oh. Thank God." I smiled. "I actually wasn't looking forward to explaining that one."

She smiled. "I love you, Travis. I meant that. I'm sorry if I overreacted at the hospital." She kissed me lightly.

"I love you too, Mariana."

There was a pause. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked. She took her finger and parted my hair out of my eyes.

"I'm fine." I whispered, liking the feeling of her fingers in my hair.

"Beck said you had an attack."

"Just nerves, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Mariana stretched her legs on my bed and held herself up with her arm.

"I'm sure." I whispered. "It was a one time thing."

She sat up a little. "What about at the restaurant?"

I closed my eyes and waved my hand. "Nah, that was just… I was in the hospital because I fell, not because of the attack."

"What makes you go into these attacks?" She whispered. "You can tell me, cant you?"

"I'm sorry Mariana." I said with wide eyes. "I don't want to talk about her."

She leaned back. "Oh. _Her._"

I sat up. "I don't like your tone, Mariana. She was a great person."

She pressed her chest against mine. "I'm sure she was, Travis. I'm sorry if I offended you."

I looked at her legs, both to the left of mine. Her breath smelt like honey and cream. I loved it.

I picked up her leg gently and placed it on the right side of me. Now Mariana was sitting directly over me.

I leaned in to kiss her.

It worked for a few minutes. Mariana relaxed and pushed my head forward, so instead of sitting on me, she was lying on top of me.

I pulled away. "Are you wearing lipstick?" I asked breathlessly.

She smiled and shook her head. "Not today, Travis."

_Thank God._ I thought.

After I had that figured out, I kissed her again.

"Travis" She whispered on my lips. I liked the feeling of it.

I placed one of my hands on her back, and the other one in her hair. She had one hand holding herself up on the bed, and the other one in _my_ hair.

"You're so beautiful." I whispered to Mariana. She smiled, but kept kissing me.

Finally, she pulled away.

"What?" I whispered. She looked suggestively at my stomach, and then I understood. "Oh."

I took off my shirt and threw it on the ground.

"Are you sure… you want… to do this?" I asked between kisses.

"Mmhmm." She said back. She moved her hand from the bed and placed it on my stomach. She moved it slowly up to my shoulder, then down again.

She sat up again, and was about to take her own shirt off, but…

"Travis!" A too familiar voice boomed from the doorway.

Beck

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked from outside.

Travis looked up breathing short and hard breaths. I could smell the lust jumping off of him.

Mariana crept off of Travis like he had told her to go swim in a pile of garbage.

She walked quickly past me and out the door.

"Man, she was about to take her top off!" Travis exclaimed, obviously upset.

"Not in my house."

"This is _my _ house too, Beck. I pay half the rent."

"Travis, I want you to think for a minute." I looked at him with concern in my eyes. I was trying to figure out a way to get to his past with out actually… bringing it up. "Do you think Mariana really wants to spend the rest of her life with you? Do _you_ want to spend the rest of your life with her?"

He looked at me puzzled. "Man, I just wanted to have s—"

"No, that's not what I mean. I mean… If you do… have… sex, with Mariana… then she might get the wrong idea and maybe want to… I don't know… marry you. And then you'll be stuck, and you wont be able to find de silvia acoute, or any other of those crazy… treasures. Just think, Travis, what it would be like to have a wife. Just imagine it."

He thought for a moment. "Fine." He grumpily agreed. "I wont have sex with Mariana. But that dosent change my feelings about her. And if things decided to go a little farther…" He waved his hands around while he talked. "Then I don't want you interrupting anymore. Understand?"

I grabbed his waving hands. "Listen up, Travis. You don't make the deals around here, I do."

"Okay, okay!!" Travis wailed helplessly. "You make the deals, you make the deals!!"

I let go of his arms. We looked at eachother for a moment.

"Take care of yourself, Travis." I whispered.

He nodded and then rolled off the bed. He picked up his shirt and pulled it over his head.

"I will." He promised.


	6. Chapter 6

Beck

I sat up in my chair. I was looking through the bills. Electricity was down.

"That's good." I thought aloud.

"Whats good, Mister Beck?" Mariana asked, sitting in a chair next to me.

"Oh, nothing… Electricity bill is going down."

"Mm. That is good." She agreed. She stood up. "Do you mind if I make some coffee, Mister Beck?"

"No, go ahead."

She started pouring the powder in the filter. "I brought some beans from Brazil. Would you like to try some Brazilian coffee, Mister Beck?"

I nodded, focused on the bills. "Thank you, Mariana, that would be wonderful."

"Brazilian coffee is usually served with fruit, and not milk, like the coffee in America."

"I'll just have mine regular, please."

Mariana smiled. "As you wish."

She placed a hot coffee cup in front of me.

"I'm going to bring one of these up to Travis." She said his name softly. "I'll make sure he's okay."

"Thanks, Mariana." I said again.

"Its nothing." She said truthfully.

Travis

There was a knock on my door. I quickly placed all the maps in my drawers.

"Come in!" I called. 

Mariana walked in with two cups of coffee.

"Is that for me?" I smiled. She nodded and handed me one.

"Here you go Travis. The beans are from Brazil."

I took a long sip. "Brazil beans are the best beans." I whispered after I swallowed. I placed the coffee cup on the table.

"Mm." She agreed.

There was a pause. Mariana took a long sip of her coffee.

"I know what de silvia acoute is, Travis."

I sputtered and coughed. "_What_? Did Beck tell you?"

"No." She smiled. "I know all the pieces, Travis. I studied them for six years."

"Six years." I repeated. _Damn._

"Are we going to go find it?" She asked.

I cleared my throat and took another sip. "Maybe."

"Why are you studying it if it is just a _maybe,_ Travis?" _Damn_, I thought again. I was just going to have to tell her that I didn't want her to come.

"Alright, I'm going to find it. But not anytime soon. I still have a lot of studying to do."

"Oh."

Travis turned from the table. "But I think I deserve a break." I placed my cup on the desk and reached for Mariana's hips.

"Not now, Travis." She said normally.

We sat for a little longer.

"Travis…" Mariana started. "I think that…"

"Mm?" I asked, taking a sip of my coffee.

"I don't think we should see eachother anymore." My heart fell.

"What?" I asked.

"You're not well, Travis, and we're from two different worlds."

"But…"

"I'm sorry, Travis."

"But you said you loved me. And I love you." I whisper helplessly.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry Travis. I truly am sorry."

I tried to understand. "Okay."

We sat there for a few minutes, taking little sips of our coffee until it was all gone.

"I'll take these downstairs." I volunteered, voice still shaking, picking up my glass.

"No, I'll take mine." Mariana whispered, heading for the door. I followed quietly behind her.

Beck

I placed the bills on the table. Mariana and Travis walked into the kitchen.

They were silent.

Travis placed his glass in the sink.

And that's how I knew something was up.

Travis usually leaves his glasses scattered around the house, just to bug me. He _never_ cleans them up, so I _have_ to, because if I don't, then we'll get termites, or something like that.

When he put his glass in the sink…

"Mister Beck, I'll be leaving for Brazil tomorrow morning. I'm going to pack up my things."

_Oh._ I thought. _He's upset because Mariana's leaving._

But then… wait a second… Mariana wasn't supposed to be leaving until two weeks.

Oh… Oh God.

Mariana broke it off with Travis.

I felt deep sympathy for him. He had his heart broken twice, now.

Travis didn't offer to help Mariana with her things. He didn't hit me on the back of the head when he passed by.

He sat on a chair at the end of the breakfast bar and placed his head on the table. He covered his eyes and wept silently.

I watched as sweet heartbreak took over Travis. I almost feel his heart rattling around in his chest.

Poor Travis.

"Oh, God." He said between sobs.

He continued for about two more minutes before picking his head off the table.

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He sat there with one knee on the seat.

"I'm sorry, Beck." He said finally. "I…"

"Don't be sorry." I said deeply.

"I just…"

"I know." I whispered. "It's okay."

He sat up and cleared his throat.

"I'm gonna get myself cleaned up." He said raspily, and then he walked out and went into the bathroom.


	7. Chapter 7

Travis

I washed my face. I looked in the mirror.

My eyes were red.

My heart felt so swollen, that I believe it could burst, right there.

I was breathing sharp painful breaths.

"Calm down." I whispered to myself. "Its okay." I swallowed air. I felt anger rising up inside of me. "Calm down…" I whispered again, but my hands were already reaching for the mirror.

I picked it up and threw it on the ground.

The pieces of mirrored glass cut my feet. Blood was all around me. Again.

I fell on my knees. Oh, God, not another attack.

"Beck!" I yell with all the strength I have left. "Beck, help!!"

But I've already collapsed on the floor, pieces of glass cutting into my calloused skin.

Beck

"Beck!!" I hear Travis yell from the bathroom. "Beck, help!" I run as fast as I can into the bathroom. The door's locked, so I have to break it down. I see Travis sprawled out on the floor, with a pool of blood around him. His eyes are open, and his arm is shaking.

"Great God." I whisper under my breath. I pick Travis up and place him in the bath. I don't want to call the hospital.

I feel for his pulse, but his chest is swollen. I rip open his shirt.

"Come on, Travis. You cant leave now."

I press down. I feel for his lungs. They aren't moving up and down like they're supposed to.

"Travis, are you breathing?" I yell, but I know he isn't. His arm has stopped shaking. His eyes are closed. "Travis!"

I already know that I have to perform CPR. I press down on his lungs again, to make sure he needs it, and then finally get down on my knees and blow air. I pause, push on his lungs again, and then blow air.

Travis coughs and sits up.

"What happened?" He whispered, reaching for his head.

"Don't talk." I demanded, wiping my mouth. "You're going to the hospital."

"No!" He said quickly. "I don't want to go!"

"You have to."

"No!!" He yelled again.

I stared at him in the eye. "Do you know why you're in the bath, Travis? Do you know why there is pieces of glass all over the floor? Its because there is something wrong with you. And you need to be fixed."

"I was angry!" He yelled, frustrated. "There were too many things going on in my head. It was just a panic attack!"

"_Just _a panic attack??" I boomed. "_Just_ a panic attack?? You weren't breathing, Travis!! If I wasn't here, you could have been dead!!"

"Oh, yes, thankyou so much, I'm forever in your gratitude." Travis said sarcasticly. "I'm _fine._ Look at me, do I look fine??"

I looked at him. His shirt was ripped, and he had small cuts spurting blood all over him. "You look anything but fine." I whispered. "Let me call the hospital."

"No!" He yelled. "Don't!"

"Travis…" I sat on the edge of the bathtub. "I don't want you to end up dead."

He looked at me, hurt from heartbreak and troubled by the attack.

"I would be better off dead." He whispered.

I shook my head. "No, no Travis… I didn't…"

"No, its okay."

"It isn't okay, Travis… I'm sorry, don't think that way…"

"I understand Beck. I'll find my own place in a couple of weeks."

"No!" I said quickly. "Don't move out. Please."

He looked at me. "You want me to stay?"

"I need you to stay." I whispered. "Those attacks… I need to take care of you, Travis."

"And…" Oh, what a little stubborn kid.

"And I lie y." I mumbled.

"What?" He asked, being ignorant. I rolled my eyes.

"I like you." I repeated. "You're my best friend, Travis."

He looked through my eyes like he was trying to see if it was true.

"Thanks man." He said back. "I like you too."


	8. Chapter 8

Beck

Travis was sleeping. His head was leaning on my shoulder.

We were watching Baywatch. Travis was going to be upset. Pamela's on the screen now.

"Mmm." Travis grunted in his sleep. His head moved around on my shoulder.

"Travis, get off." I whispered. He moved his feet and exhaled deeply. I shrugged. "Travis."

He wasn't going to move. I rolled my eyes and reached for the remote. I clicked off the TV. Travis awoke immediately.

"Hey, I was watching that." Travis mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"No you weren't. You were sleeping." I corrected him. "Anyways, you've seen enough TV for tonight. Its two AM."

"Theres no such thing as too much TV." He reached for the remote.

"The suns gonna come up soon, Trav."

"So?"

He turned on TV again.

"Mariana's leaving today, isn't she?" He asked. I thought she would have told him.

"Yeah, Travis, she is."

He breathed in deep. "Thought so. Its better off that way."

"Really?" I asked, not believing his maturity.

"No." He whispered. "I'm gonna miss her."

A lonely tear rolled down his cheek.

"I know." I whispered. "I know."

Travis

"You want a drink?" I ask Beck. I'm slready regretting what I plan to do.

"Sure." Beck says, leaning back on his chair.

"Rootbeer?" I ask. "Coffee?"

"Maybe just some juice." He says back, watching the TV.

"Okay." I stand up and walk in the kitchen. My stomach feels sick. I take a glass of water out for Beck.

I open the fridge… there has to be some in here some in here… there they are.

Konlobos. With a K. I breathe in the air. I still feel sick. But my heartache takes over.

I carry it over to the glass of water. I cut a small hole and squeeze. Drips of Konlobo juice fall in the cup. Lucky for me, they turn out to be transparent.

"This better work." I mumble. I take red food colouring to make it look more like juice and pour it in.

I walk into the room with his glass of 'juice'.

"Thanks Travis. You're a great guy." _Don't say that._ I think. I hand him the juice.

"Here." I say, shoving the glass towards him.

He takes a long sip. "This is really… watery. What is this? It's good." He looks at me strangely.

It takes him a moment to realize what I did.

"Travis, no." He whispers.

"I'm sorry, Beck."

He drops the glass and collapses on the couch.

"I'll be back for morning. You should be able to stand up by then. Sorry."

"Travis…" He whispers. I shake my head.

"I truly am sorry, Beck." I say, getting ready to walk out the door. "But you don't understand love." And then, I slide on my jacket, pull on my boots, and walk up to Mariana's room.

Beck

I was lying on the couch.

God damn it.

I trust Travis for three hours and he poisons me! Stupid. I'm so stupid.

God knows what he's off doing now. Something to do with Mariana.

He mentioned her, didn't he? He said something about love.

Oh, he better not hurt her or I will strangle him personally. How dumb can a guy get?

I need to move. I need to get out of this ridiculous state. How dare he paralyze me. I thought we were friends.

Travis

I run upstairs to her room.

"Mariana, theres something going on in the field next to the Miller's farm south of here. Someone's there…. You know them. You need to help me, their here to get us."

She looks at me with a confused look. I feel sick again, worried that she might not believe me.

"Whats going on?"

I bite my lip. "I lied."

"It was obvious." She stated simply. "What do want, Travis?"

"You're leaving. Today. I thought… I mean… it ended so soon… me and you… I thought… we could talk, together, you know, as friends. One last time before you leave me for good."

Mariana rolls her eyes. "What is there to talk about?" She asks.

"Everything. I need to talk to someone."

She shrugs her shoulders. "Fine. As friends."

"Thank you."

"Must we go to the field?"

"I think so." I whisper. "Please."

"Fine. We'll go."

"Beck said I could use his car." I said quickly. Yet another lie.

"Fine."

I walked down the stairs with Mariana following. This was actually happening.

"Beck is asleep." Mariana pointed out. I prayed to God he wouldn't yell.

He didn't.

"Yeah, he's uh… asleep."

"Lets go, Travis. Its almost morning."

--

I lay a blanket down to sit on. The cold bites at my feet.

"Mariana?" I ask.

"Yes Travis?"

"I was wondering… why… you broke up with me."

She sighed and leaned on the backs of her hand. "Because, Travis. Mister Beck was right."

"Beck? Beck told you to break up with me?"

She stared at me with her brown eyes. "No. But he obviously didn't like us as a couple. He told me that you were immature and irresponsible. He said that you and I were nothing alike."

I squinted my eyes, trying to understand.

"I tried to ignore it. I tried to imagine I never heard it. But Travis…" She sighed again. "He was right. I'm much more mature then you."

"But… I thought…"

"I thought I was going to take care of you. Be the provider of our family. That is what I told Mister Beck. But Travis… I cannot take that responsibility of you. I cant live to provide for you. I'm not that person, Travis."

"You could be." I whispered.

"I'm sorry. Its too much of a burden."

"I'm too much of a burden?" I asked.

"No. Your past and conditions are."

I held my head. I felt warm water spurting from my eyes.

"But… Mariana…"

"Sorry."

I sat there looking at the ground for a long time. Crickets sang around us. The smallest breeze was like ice pricking at my feet.

"Mariana?" I said, looking up, into her eyes.

She looked at me.

I know that she saw the heartbreak in my eyes. That's all I cared about then.

But then I felt the hunger for more.

I leaned in towards her.

"Mariana." I whispered. I kissed her soft lips. Her breath still smelt of honey. It made me want to smile. But I didn't dare try anything that might stop this moment.

I leaned closer to the ground, and to my surprise, Mariana's body followed. I kissed her passionately, on her lips, her neck. She moved her leg on top of mine.

"I still love you, Travis." She whispered on my lips. "I'll never stop."

Beck

Travis came crashing through the door at about 5 AM.

I screamed… what you would call screaming… at him.

"Travis, goddamn it, You are so DEAD!!" I yelled, but since my mouth was frozen partially open it sounded kind of muffled.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. His voice shook. "I'm really sorry."

"Why Travis?!?!?" I yelled. "Why???"

"I said I was sorry!" he yelled, voice still trembling slightly.

"What did you do?" I asked in a hushed tone.

He walked over and sat on the ground. He looked at me with scared eyes.

"What did you do???" I yelled.

His hands were shaking. He was crying.

"Travis?" He looked up.

"We made love." He whispered.

I could feel my eyes widen. "_What?_"

He let out a sob. "She left. She's gone."

"Oh, Travis." I whispered. It came out muffled still.

I felt so bad for yelling at him moments ago. He was just a kid in love.

"I'm sorry, Beck." He whispered. Then he stood up and walked in his room.


	9. Chapter 9

Travis

I slept most of the day. I had no dream. When I did dream, it was all just recalling the events that happened last night.

I remember it all so well.

Finally I awoke. It was about three in the afternoon. My head ached and my heart throbbed. But I decided it would be good for me to get out of bed.

I walked downstairs. Beck was conscious now. Thank God. I felt bad enough I made him knocked out for the evening. If he was still paralyzed, I might have gone crazy with guilt.

"Hey Travis."

I didn't say anything back.

"You want some coffee?"

"Sure." I manage to grumble. My eyes are still red.

"Are you okay, Travis?" He asked, handing me a mug.

"I'm fine." I lied. "I'm going to study… A gato de silvia, diabo acoute." It made no sense. I hoped Beck got the message.

"Okay, Travis. Call me if you need anything."

"Mm." I said in return. I carried my coffee cup back to my room.

I sat at my desk.

I placed my coffee on the desk. I didn't really want to drink it. But Beck was so nice…

I held my head. "Oh Mariana…" I said aloud. "The things I would do for love."

I pulled open a drawer. A letter came out. It was from Mariana.

I scrunched up my nose. "What is this?" I whispered to myself.

"_Dear Travis. I love you. I always have. I always will. But I need you to understand that we cannot be together. We are too far apart already. I am so sorry, Travis. I still love you. I wont stop. I promise you. Write to me once I am in Brazil. I cant wait to hear from you. My friends loved you Travis. They will be very disappointed when they find out you didn't come back with me. But again, they don't understand love. They don't understand our love. I am sorry, Travis. I miss you. So much it hurts. I hope that you remember me, always, Travis. I know I'll never forget you. Love, Mariana. _

I folded up the letter. I sat there staring at the wall until I couldn't bear it anymore. My entire body collapsed it's figure and surrendered to the bitter monster of sadness. I couldn't control the water coming from my eyes.

"Oh, Mariana." I sobbed. "Mariana."

Beck

I was about to go check on Travis when the phone rang. I picked it up.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Mister Beck."

It was Mariana.

"Hi, Mariana." I said quietly, so Travis couldn't hear.

"I am in Brazil, now."

I sat in a chair.

"That's good. Safe flight?"

She ignored my question. "How is Travis?" She asked.

"He's… he's…"

She waited on the other line.

"He's a wreck." I didn't see any point in lying. "He's been asleep, most of the day, and he only said two and a half words before heading to his room again. This morning he was worse."

"Oh." She said softly. "I apologize, for worrying you, last night, Mister Beck."

"Travis already told me." I could feel her blush through the other end.

"Oh." She said again. "Do you think I could talk to him?" She asked.

"I don't think so, Mariana."

She swallowed. "I understand." Her words were wet. "Sorry for bothering you, Mister Beck."

"No problem."

"Visit me."

"I will." I didn't say _we _will.

"And Mr Beck?"

"Yeah?"

"Please, tell Travis to call me. I miss him."

I paused. "I'm sorry, Mariana. I cant… I cant really tell him that."

She swallowed again. "Please? I may never speak to him again."

I closed my eyes. "Maybe. You've hurt him pretty bad."

I could hear a small sob on the other end. "I never meant to hurt him, Mr. Beck. I… I'm sorry. This must be awkward for you." She sniffled on the other end. "But I believe that this is the right thing to do."

"I do too, Mariana."

"Goodbye, Mr. Beck."

"Bye."

I paused, looking at the phone for a moment. I clicked the red button shortly after. I would tell Travis later.

Travis

"De Silvia Acoute." I read aloud. "Is a priceless treasure found in the deepest part of the country. There are many definitions of this name, however the closest one in Elglish is BESIDE THE HEART OF CHRIST. The precious artifact if worth over millions, similar to A GATO DE DIABO, which is yet another artifact that was hidden by 'The hand of God' , or so the people 2000 years ago believed. A GATO DE DIABO was found recently by a Harvard Professor, Christopher Walken."

I stopped.

_What?_

I looked over it again.

"Christopher Walken?" I almost cried. I crumpled up the paper. "A Harvard professor bought me gato?!?" Tears filled my eyes. Not of sadness, but of anger. "Christopher is a liar! He didn't find my gato!! Travis Alfred Walker found this gato. MY gato de diabo!!" I screamed and pushed away from my desk.

Beck watched from the doorway. He didn't interrupt. He didn't tell me to calm down.

"I hate this!! I hate a gato de diabo, I hate de silvia acoute, I hate Christopher Walken, I hate Mariana!!" I snatched the papers off the table and threw them around the room. I screamed and cursed, and kicked the bed. Finally, I stopped and sat on the bed.

I couldn't do this anymore.

I held my head in my hands and wept.

Beck came and sat beside me.

He looked at the ground as I sobbed.

Finally I let out a gasp and wiped my eyes. "I'm sorry." I said again.

"Its okay, Travis." He whispered.

"Its not okay. Do I look okay?"

He shook his head.

"You look anything but okay."

I nodded. "I know."

We sat there for a few minutes.

"I miss her." I whispered, silent tears falling down my face. "So much already."

Beck nodded like he understood. He didn't.

"I thought… I guess I thought she would stay after last night."

He shook his head. "Did you really Travis?"

I shook my head. "No." I let out a small sob, but I caught it. "I just wanted to be with her."

Beck looked at the ground. "I may sound crazy, Travis, but I know how you feel." He whispered.

"You don't." I muttered.

"Thought you would say that." He continued anyways. "But listen, for a moment. Are you listening?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I loved a girl once. Her name was Amanda. She was real pretty."

I tried to smile to help him out, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Anyways…" He held his head. "I had something to get. For your father."

I cringed at the thought of him.

"It was a envelope opener." He laughed, and shook his head. "A little envelope opener."

I looked at him, confused. I saw that he was crying.

"I went to get it, but… Amanda demanded she come along. She didn't want to see me get hurt, but she wanted to make sure nothing happened… like I got shot or something…"

He paused. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"What happened?" I asked in a low voice.

"I got it. I got the goddamn envelope opener. But… but one of his friends…"

I waited. He was crying harder now.

"They shot her. They shot Amanda."

A pit in my stomach formed.

"Right in the head." He sobbed a little. "They ruined her beautiful face… because of some little _envelope opener._"

I looked at the ground. My situation felt so small compared to Beck's.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Beck." I whispered. I didn't know what else to say. "Is that why…" It took a lot of courage to continue. "Is that why you don't like guns?"

I was afraid he was going to break my arm or something.

"Yeah, Travis. I guess so." He whispered. He wiped his eyes. "Sorry." He said under his breath, and then walked out.

I lay down on my bed and thought about Mariana.

Her beautiful eyes, her hair… her skin.

I loved her so much it hurt. My heart ached.

"Oh, Mariana." I whispered to myself. "What would I do if you died?" I shook my head. "I love you so much, it would take you from the dead."

I knotted my fingers together. "I miss you too, Elizabeth. More then Mariana. But I'm trying to forget about you… You promised you wouldn't leave me…"

I held my head. I tried to think about something else.

But there wasn't anything I could think about that wouldn't force me to burst into tears.

_I could feel her heartbeat through my skin. She lay there, next to me, with me, part of me. We were just us, not some fake people who pretended to love eachother. It was clear now, I loved Mariana. She loved me too. Otherwise I wouldn't feel this… We wouldn't feel this… we wouldn't be together…_

My head was starting to hurt. These things, they made me upset, but I knew that if I faced them, they would stop haunting me.

_Elizabeth's fingers slid up my face. "Travis." She whispered. "No." _

And that was it. I couldn't take it anymore. I slammed my head between two pillows and screamed.


	10. Chapter 10

I knotted my fingers together. I carried the coffee over from my desk and brought it in the kitchen.

"Travis." Beck said, standing up. "You okay?"

I shook my head no and placed the dish in the sink. My heart felt so swollen. My eyes were, too.

"Didn't think so." He said softly.

I sat down on one of Beck's chairs.

"You want to talk about it?" He asked, moving to a chair next to mine.

"No." I said sharply.

"Fine." He said understandingly. "But if you do,"

"I don't want to talk about it." I said louder. "Please."

"I understand."

_You don't understand shit._ I thought.

Beck sighed. "You want something to eat?"

"Yeah." I mumbled back. My stomach felt sick. But it would get him off my back.

"Eggs?"

"Sure." I mumbled again. I ran my fingers through my hair.

Beck walked over to the other side of the counter. He flipped on the stove and expertly cracked an egg in his pan with only one hand. "You gonna tell me whats goin' on, Travis?" He asked.

"Stupid thoughts are running through my head!" I said a little loud. Beck looked over the counter. I held my head. "I cant stop thinking about her!"

"Mariana?" He asked quietly.

"No!" I burst. I felt the salty warm water gather around my arms. "Elizabeth." My voice broke and I started crying on the table. "Elizabeth."

Beck placed the pan on the counter and flicked off the stove.

"Travis." He whispered.

"I dream about her." I whisper. "I dream that… I dream that she stayed with me." I let out a sob. "She was at my home… with my father. She was the only girl who made my daddy proud. Did you know that?" I looked up with tear streaked eyes. "He never told me she was married. I was… I found that out…" I sobbed again.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" He whispered.

"Yeah, I did, Beck." I cried. "I loved her like you… like you loved Amanda."

Beck let a tear slide down his own cheek. But then he wiped away his face and walked behind his counter.

"Travis." He said again. "I know you're upset."

"She promised… she promised she wouldn't leave me."

"Travis,"

"What?" I yelled. "What do you want?"

"You don't love Mariana, do you?"

And then I stopped.

Did I love Mariana?

I had to.

I had to love her. Otherwise I wouldn't feel that way around her.

"Love isn't something that makes your pants grow." I looked up strangely. "Love isn't something you can find in a magazine, Travis. You cant just get love. Why do you think they call it _making_ love?"

I sat up. "Shut up." I said tonelessly.

"You don't love her." He said. "You have _lust,_ Travis. You _lust_ for Mariana. You don't _love_ her. You took your love from Elizabeth and tried to spare it on someone else."

"I said _shut the hell up!!"_ I yelled, pounding my hand on the table.

"How can you love two different people, Travis? How can you give your heart away _twice?_"

"I swear if you don't shut your fucking mouth-"

"Fine!" He yelled over me. "Get angry. But you're going to have to face the music sometime, Travis. You love one. You love Elizabeth."

And then I couldn't take it anymore. I picked up the frying pan he was using to cook my breakfast and threw it at his face.

He yelled in pain, cursing, and holding his cheek.

Damn. I was hoping to hit him in the nose.

I bolted out of my chair and sprinted for the door.

"Travis!" Beck yelled after me. "Travis!!"

I looked one last time at the place I called my home. Then I swung open the door, and flew out of there without even shutting the door.

-

"_Elizabeth." I whispered after her._

"_Travis." She says back. "I need to talk to you."_

"_I'm sorry I'm late." I kiss her, but she pulls away._

"_No"_

"_I thought that your husband was away."_

"_He is."_

_I lean back in to kiss her again, but she pulls away again._

"_Elizabeth, what's wrong?" I whisper._

_Her eyes are red. It looks like she was crying for a long time._

"_Travis, I'm pregn-"_

The sun woke me up.

I sat up and looked through the branches of a tree.

Sleeping under a tree was something I had learned to love. I had to do it for a long time, running from my father.

But compared to Beck, my father was harmless. And both of them were after me now.

"Have you seen this man?" I heard a familiar voice ask the gas station guy. "His names Travis Walker. 23 years old."

I looked around, alarmed. I would have to make a run for it.

I moved around to the edge of the tree. I looked around, left, right, then sprinted as fast as I could to the forest nearby.

"Shit." I heard Beck whisper, dropping the picture. It seemed to echo through my ears. Then Becks heavy foot prints chasing after me.

I sprinted faster. "Get away from me!!" I yelled. But Beck sped up too, and he was right on my heels.

"You stubborn son of a bitch!"

I felt a stab of pain in my side. Cramps.

I yelled a bit, from the pain. "Get away from me!!" I yelled again. "Get away!" I swung my hand around, only then to realized how close he was. I smacked him right in the face.

I turned back briefly. "Sorry Beck." I whispered. And then I sprinted for the forest.

"What are you doing?!?" I heard Beck yell in the distance. "Where are you going from this?!?!"

"I don't know!!" I yelled back honestly.

Because, I really, really, didn't know.


	11. Chapter 11

I sat on a tree stump for a while. Thinking about everything.

I tried not to. Think about Elizabeth, I mean. But she kept coming into my head without warning.

I would be looking at some branches, and it would remind me of her fragile arms. I would see a leaf, and it would remind me of her green bedspread.

So I closed my eyes.

And then the weirdest thing came in my head.

_Beck is your brother._

I shook my head. "No." I said out loud. "He was just a deadweight in my plan."

But it wouldn't go away. _Beck cared so much for you. He's chasing you right now. Your own father wouldn't do that for you. But Beck would travel the corners of the world just to make sure you are safe._

"Beck!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "Beck!!"

But he didn't answer. I tried to get to the edge of the forest to find him. But I just got more stuck.

I held my head in my hands. "Straight." I whispered to myself. "Just go straight."

I was walking for hours. I knew I must have been heading backwards. But I needed to get out before dark, and there was no heading back now.

Beck

I tripped on Travis' heel. I didn't fall because he slapped me, whatever he may think.

But the important part is that he got away. He's gone.

In the forest somewhere.

I sat in the grass, trying to steady my breath. I felt sorry for the poor guy.

I felt sympathy.

I felt sadness.

_No, no… I couldn't feel sad just because Travis ran away. He was just using me anyways._

I blocked out anymore thoughts of Travis and walked home. "You're on your own, buddy!!" I yelled out to the forest. "I hope you know your way around the forest as well as you did in Brazil!!"

I threw my hands in the air and started walking back to the gas station.

What a stupid, stupid boy.

Travis

Sweat and blood dripped in my eyes. I had multiple cuts all over my body from the thorns. But I could see an ending… From this hell-hole, this mosquito hangout, this whole goddamn place. So I sprinted, with all the energy left, to the opening.

The sun was just setting. I had been walking through the forest all day.

I shuddered at the thought, but at least it got my mind off Eli-

Shit.

I looked around. I was in a complete different town. It was…

It was the ghetto.

Like where I grew up.

There was a little trashed up diner, a bowling rink, and a bunch of messed up houses.

I walked cautiously up to the tiny town. I looked at the sign.

_FERIN_

"Ferin?" I wondered aloud.

A little girl walked out of the diner. She was wearing a little yellow sundress, and her hair was perfectly curled so her brown hair swept along her dress.

"Hello." I said.

She looked up at me strangely. "Who are you?" She whispered. I noticed there was a dark scar across her perfect face.

I paused. "My name is Travis."

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She whispered. "But I really like you. Do you want to be friends?"

I gave her a tiny smile. I rubbed my head.

"Please?" She asked again.

"Of course." I said. I was feeling kind of dizzy.

"I've never had a real friend before." She said softly. It broke my heart.

She reached for my cut up hand. "Will you please hold my hand?"

I nodded. "Okay." She grabbed my dirty, bloody hand, which stained her perfectly white satin gloves. I winced a little, but I forgot about it because the satin covering my cuts felt so good…

"You aren't wearing your church clothes." She said softly. "But don't worry. Father Eric always lets everyone in." She squeezed my hand a bit. "Look, there it is." She pointed to a beat up church. "Come on."

She ran ahead of me and into the swinging doors. I walked up behind her.

I was worried that there would be so many dressed up people there, and they would all ignore me because of my attire.

But when I walked inside… there was no one there but me and that girl.

"Sit next to me, Travis." She whispered, patting a seat next to her.

I walked over gingerly, sitting beside her.

"What time does the service start?" I whispered to her.

"In a couple of minutes." She whispered back. I looked around. There was nobody there. "My name is Melody, by the way. I'm not supposed to be here. I ran away from home."

I sat up. "Why?" I said sternly.

"Shh. Don't sound so mad."

"Why did you run away?" I asked a little more calm.

She looked at the ground, and then looked back up at me. "Because of this." She pointed to her scar. "My daddy tried to kill me."

I didn't know what to say. My stomach crumpled together. "What?" I asked, my voice sqeaking.

"I never told anyone that before." She whispered. "No one. Not even Father Eric. But since me and you are friends…" She saw my expression.

"You aren't going to tell anyone, are you?" She whispered, scared. "Daddy made me swear not to tell anyone, otherwise they might take me away from him."

I held her hand. "But Melody… he tried to _kill_ you." I said under my breath.

Tears gathered in her eyes. "I know." She said, her voice shaky from crying. "But I love him so much."

She dug her head into my shoulder. She sobbed there for a long time.

And service didn't start.

Not for the three hours we were there.

Beck

I walked into the kitchen. The bloody frying pan was lying on the counter still.

"Bastard." I whispered. I picked it up and rinsed it in the sink.

I opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of orange juice. I had a sudden flashback of Travis ripping the milk carton and guzzling down the remains. I laughed a little, and then got all serious again.

_You cant think about him that way anymore._

I poured a glass. The house was quiet.

I took a long sip. The cold liquid poured down my throat.

_Travis is your brother._ Popped in my head.

It caused me to spit my orange juice all over the counter.

I looked at the mess, and then grabbed a towel to clean it up.

_Travis cares for you. You're his father, his protector. Without you, Travis will fall apart. He needs you._

I shook it off. "Travis dosent give a shit." I whispered to myself.

_He hides because he is afraid. Without you, he will always be afraid._

I shrugged. "Whatever you say." I said sarcasticly to myself, and then saw someone in the door that made me collapse on the ground.


End file.
